Pinion for clocks and the like and process of making the same



Dec. 1, 1936. w n- 2,062,627

PINION FOR CLOCKS AND THE LIKE AND PROCESS OF MAKING THE SAME Filed Dec.19, 19354 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fig.2.

ATTORNEY Dec. 1, 1936. H, wHlTEHEAD 2,062,627

PINION FOR CLOCKS AND THE LIKE AND PROCESS OF MAKING THE SAME Filed Dec.19, 1935 2 SheetsSheet 2 IN VEN TOR.

ATTORNEY.

Patented Dec. 1, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PINION FOR CLOCKS ANDTHE LIKE AND PROCESS OF MAKING THE SAME 6 Claims.

This invention relates to pinions for clocks and the like, and theprocess of making the same.

It is an object of this invention to provide a new and improved methodof making a pinion for clocks which will be inexpensive and suitable forquantity production and yet which will result in a rigid, accurate andreliable pinion.

Other objects of the invention will in part cc obvious and will in partappear hereinafter.

This invention accordingly comprises the several steps and relation andorder of one or more of such steps with respect to each of the others,and the article possessing the features,

properties, and the relation of elements, and the scope of theapplication of which will be in- (heated in the claims.

For a fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the invention,reference should be had to the following detailed description, taken inconnection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a pinion during the process ofconstruction.

Figure 2 is a similar view with the tools used in carrying out the firststep in the process in, the act of being removed.

Figure 3 is a similar view of a slightly modi fied construction with anend plate in place.

Figure 4 is a plan view of a pinion in its completed state.

Figure 5 is a plan view of the tool used in the construction of thepinion.

Figure 6 is a plan view of the pinion shown in Figure 3.

Figure 7 is a side elevation of a modified form of pinion. Figure 8 is alongitudinal section and Figure 9 is a cross section of the same on theline 9-9 of Figure 8.

Figure 10 is a longitudinal section of a further modification.

In the making of pinions for clocks, it has heretofore involvedexpensive machines which individually drill holes for the various pinsand insert the pins one at a time placing them by means of a dividinghead which results in a relatively high cost of manufacture and whichrequires the maintenance of a high accuracy iri the machinery in orderthat the errors in the resultant pinions might not be beyond thepermissible tolerance.

In accordance wtih this invention, these various steps are dispensedwith and the pins are automatically spaced and fastened in place by asingle operation. To achieve this there is forced upon the shaft ill acollar ii which may comprise a circular disc of soft steel or iron whichis a driving fit upon the shaft to retain the pinion in place. Nextthere is inserted up" on the shaft H] a cylindrical tool or block iii, 5having a central opening 13 affording a tight but slidable fit upon theshaft in and a pin rality of circumferentially spaced openings itadapted to receive and accurately to position the various pins which areto comprise the w pinion. The block i2 is then moved along the shaft toa point adjacent to but not in contact with the collar ii and in each ofthe holes it is inserted a pin it, the holes l4 being so spaced that thepins IE) will be in proper position 35 around the shaft to form thepinion.

The block i2 is arranged to insulate the pins I5 from the shaft ll]except through the collar ii. It is either of an insulating mater s asbakelite or else it contains an ii material between the pins and theshaft that the pins are not short circuited to the shaft by means of theblock l2. After the pins are inserted in the block'l2, a head l6comprising a welding electrode ,is inserted over t e shaft ill butinsulated from it so as to conl M the ends of each of the pins 85. Thiselectrode, however, is made of a material which will not Weld to thepins. Thereafter, while the elec trode is firmly held against the endsof the W3 pins, an electric current from any source, herediagrammatically illustrated as a generator H, is passed between theelectrode l8 and the collar ii so that the pins and the collar H wherethey are in contact with each other are heated to welding temperature,whereupon the electrode i5 is pressed against the ends of the pinsfirmly to weld them to the collar. As soon as the welding is completed,the electrode 16 and the block l2 may be re moved.

In the form of the invention shown in Figures '7, 8, and 9, a shaft 20is turned about its pivots to form accurately concentric shoulders 2iand 22 of a diameter equal to the pitched diameter of the finishedpinion less the diameter of the pinion pins. Between these shoulders,the shaft is cut away as shown at 23 to provide a clearance for the endsof the teeth of the mating gear. The pins 24 forming the teeth of thepinion are laid upon the shoulders 2i and 22 and welded in place. Thesepins may be spaced from each other with a dividing head or they may bespaced by a suit-- able jig.

In the form of the invention shown in Figure 10, there is provided uponthe outside of the shaft 30 a pair of spaced collars SI and 32 which areturned upon the outside to a diameter equal to the pitched diameter ofthe final pinion less the diameter of the pins to be used. Upon thesecollars the pins are welded as shown in the modiflcation of Figures 7and 8.

The modifications shown in Figures '7 to 10, possess the distinctadvantage that they have a minimum outside diameter compared to thepitched diameter and hence they may be placed in a gear train with themaximum compactness and conveniences The pinion resulting from theforegoing process is accurate and rigid by reason of the fact that eachof the pins is firmly welded to the collar and has been held in itsaccurate position until it has cooled sufliciently to preventdisplacement.

By reason of the fact that the parts are welded together, for mostpurposes, it would be unnecessary to provide any support for the outerends of the pins. It will thus be seen that by this simple weldingoperation all individual drilling for the pins is dispensed with andbrass spools or brass collars are unnecessary. Thus the cost of thepinion is very greatly reduced.

Since certain changes in carrying out the above process and certainmodifications in the article which embody the invention may be madewithout departing from its scope, it is intended that all mattercontained in the above description or shown in thev accompanyingdrawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limitingsense.

It is also to be understood that the following claims are intended tocover all of the generic and specific features of the invention hereindescribed, and all statements of the scope of the invention which, as amatter of language, might be said to fall therebetween.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent, is:

1. The method of making pinions for clocks and the like which comprisesforming upon a rotatable member. shoulders, concentric with the axis ofrotation of said rotatable member, and welding to said shoulders atcircumferentially equally spaced points, pins for forming the teeth ofthe pinion.

2. The method of making pinions for clocks and the like which comprisesforming upon a rotatable member, shoulders, each having a peripheralsurface concentric with the axis of rotation of said member and weldinga plurality of pins to said peripheral surface at equally spaced pointsto form the teeth of the pinion.

3. The method of making pinions for clocks and the like which comprisesforming upon a rotatable member, shoulders, concentric with the axis ofrotation of said rotatable member, there being formed also between thesaid shoulders a groove to give clearance for the ends of the teeth .ofsaid gear, and welding to said shoulders at circumferentially equallyspaced points, pins for forming the teeth of the pinion.

4. The method of making pinions for clocks and the like which comprisesforming upon a rotatable member, shoulders, each having a peripheralsurface concentric with the axis of rotation of said member, there beingformed also between the said shoulders a groove to give clearance forthe ends of the teeth of said gear. and welding a plurality of pins tosaid peripheral surface at equally spaced points to form the teeth ofthe pinion.

RICHARD H. WHITEHEAD.

